Holder for storing sheet material



Dec. 14, 1965 Filed Oct. 19, 1962 D. C. J. KNIP HOLDER FOR STORING SHEETMATERIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JN\VENTOR.

D. C- J. KNlP HOLDER FOR STORING SHEET MATERIAL Dec. 14, 1965 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 19, 1962 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,223,235 HOLDER FOR STORING SHEET MATERIAL DirkCornelis Jan Knip, Delft, Netherlands, assignor to Aerojet DelftCorporation, Long Island, NY. Filed Oct. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 231,702

Claims priority, application Netherlands, Oct. 24, 1961,

270,580 Claims. (Cl. 206-74) The invention relates to a holder forstoring sheet material such as bound or loose sheets of paper, plasticfoils and plates, photographic negatives, or more complex materials suchas grammophone records in covers, card sheets with cloth samples, etc.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a holder ofsimple design and construction which is particularlysuitable for thestoring of sheet materials in a vertical position without the necessityof punching the materials, though it use is not limited thereto.

Known means for the vertical filing of sheet materials such as binders,folders suspended pockets or filing boxes have serious disadvantages.The contents of a loose leaf folder may protrude out of the folder andmay easily become damaged, particularly at the bottom edge. Flaps in theinside of the folder may prevent this but tend to make the contents lessreadily accessible. When a number of folders are placed side by side ona shelf they may begin to lean and bulge out in a short time, whichdetracts from their suitability and appearance. The filing box is usedin cases where it can be completely filled at once. With such a boxfinding or filing a record usually implies removing its whole contents.Suspended folder systems require provisions such as especiallyconstructed drawer cabinets adapted to the folders. The initial expenseof such systems is much higher than that of, e.g., the conventionalbinders in which perforated sheets may be fastened and which can simplybe placed on any shelf available. It often may be, however, that thecharacter of the material to be filed does not permit the punchingthereof which is necessary with such binders, while also the tendency ofthe binders to lean and become distorted is disadvantageous.

The holder according to the invention avoids the above mentioneddrawbacks and is characterized by a tray, consisting of a rigid platewith at least two upstanding walls adjacent each other in which a pileof sheet material can be accommodated, and by one or more elastic cords,strings or like elements, adapted to be drawn taut over the pile so asto press same against the plate of the tray, which cords or strings haveapplication points on one or more upstanding walls of the tray whichpoint are movable in the direction of piling.

Thus, in the holder according to the invention which can be positionedupright on one of the walls of the rigid tray, a pile of arbitraryheight is held pressed by one or more elastic strings or like elementsagainst the plate of the tray. Therefore, any sagging of the tray itselfor of its contents is effectively avoided.

Preferably, in the invention the application points of the elastic cordsor strings are defined by slots in the relevant upstanding walls of thetray through which the clastic elements are passed or by guidings fixedto these walls along which the elastic elements are guided.

Displacing the application points when new material is inserted or oldmaterial is removed from the pile is very simple in this case. Theapplication points can be placed in the required new position evenautomatically if, in accordance with the invention, the slots orguidings are at an oblique angle to the direction of piling and theelastic elements, when being drawn taut over the pile, are so positionedthat the tensile forces in the elements have a substantial componenttending to drive the application points towards the pile .of storedmaterial.

The term application points in the present specification denotes thepoints in which the tensile force of the elastic elements is applied tothe upstanding walls of the tray. In such points the elastic elementsmay but must not necessarily end as will appear hereinafter.

The objects and features of the present invention will be more fullyunderstood from the following description of some embodiments thereof,which are illustrated by way of example in the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows in perspective a first holder according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows in perspective a secon dholder;

FIG. 3 shows a divided holder in perspective;

FIG. 4 shows a side-view of another holder according to the invention;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 show some details of holders;

FIG. 8 illustrates the way in which a number of holders according toFIG. 1 can be accommodated into each other for the purpose of transportor storage;

FIG. 9 shows in perspective a modification of the holder according toFIG. 4; .and

FIG. 10 shows a further embodiment in perspective.

Corresponding parts in the different figures carry the same referencenumbers. .Thus, throughout the drawings the rigid tray forming theholder proper is designated 1, a cover plate for the pile of sheetmaterial 2 and one or more elastic strings 3. The tray 1 consists of aplate 4 and two or more upstanding edges or walls 5 and 6. The movableapplication points of the strings 3 on the walls of the tray areprovided by elements marked throughout 7 and 8. Where necessary a pileof sheets 11 is shown in the figures.

The-string 3 in FIG. 1 has its ends provided with nipples 9 and 10 andhas been threaded through oblique slots 7 and 8 formed in the walls 5and 6 of the tray. The walls 5 and 6 serve as the bottom and back of theholder, respectively. Bottom 5 is provided with sliding edges 15 and 16.The string 3, after having been drawn taut over the cover plate 2 of thepile 11, may be passed over the upper corner 12 of the plate 4 eithercrossed or not and fixed in recesses such as 13 and 14 in the free edgesof the plate 4.

The tension in string 3 will force the nipples 9, 10 to move to theirdefinitive positions in the oblique slots 7, 8 which positions arependendent on the thickness of pile 11. A gentle pressure is exerted onthe pile 11 by string 3 through the cover plate 2, so as to prevent thepile from sagging. In order to ensure that even under very roughtreatment the sheets will not move, the free end ofthe bottomS may beprovided with a sloping upstanding edge 17.

The tray 1 may be constructed of plate material. Alternatively, it maybe shaped by moulding, die-casting or similar processes, e.g. of plasticmaterial or light metal. The elastic element 3 may be a rubber cord ortape which is either cotton-covered or not, or a steel wire in helicalform. Its cross-section is preferablyround.

The embodiment of FIG. 2 differs from that of FIG. 1 first in that theslots 7 and 8 are both provided in the back of the holder. Accordinglythe string 3 is not passed over a free corner of plate 4, but loopedover a projection 19 formed between two recesses 13 and 14 in one edgeof the plate. Furthermore, the slots 7 and 8 are not formed in the backof the tray proper but in an angle plate 18, which is fixed in the trayso as to form a double bottom and back. In this case the nipples 9 and10 are invisible. The position of the nipples 10 in the holder'of FIG.1, on the other hand, is a very suitable indication of the space stillavailable in the holder.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 the tray has been divided by means ofa partition 20 into two compartments in which two piles 11 of smallsheets can be filed. Otherwise, the attachment of the strings 3 and theconstruction of the tray 1 are similar to those in FIG. 2.

In the embodiment shown in side-view in FIG. 4 the tray 1 has a bottom 5and two side-walls 6. The application points of the string 3 are nowboth formed in the bottom of the tray, while the string may be fixed inrecesses 13, 14 provided in the upper edge of the plate 4.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the slots providing the application points ofthe string, are formed in one and the same wall of the tray the string 3may be an endless one. To that end the slots 7 and 8 have been extendedto the free edge of the wall 6 so that the string can be inserted intothe open ends of the slots.

In FIG. 6 a detail of a holder is shown, the back 6 of which has beenpartly broken away to show the plate 18 with the slot 8 and the nipple10. In this case the slot is not oblique but parallel to the directionof piling. In order to secure a satisfactory resistance against thesliding away of the nipple the plate 18 has been milled or made rough atboth edges of the slot 8 while the nipple is milled too on the sidefacing the slot.

FIG. 7 illustrates that in order to save the joint between the string 3and the nipple 9 the parts of the wall on either side of the slot 7 canbe slightly buckled such that a sliding surface for the nipple is formedwhich is perpendicular to the plane of movement of the string.

The holder shown in FIG. 9 has a bottom 5 and two side-walls 6 similarto the holder of FIG. 4. However, in this case two short strings areprovided which are drawn crosswise between the walls 6 over the coverplate 2. The lower application point of the strings is defined by closedslots 7, the upper point by open slots 8. The slots are again positionedat an oblique angle to the direction of piling so that the nipples 9 and10 under the tensile force of the string will be driven to their correctposition as determined by the height of pile 11. To insert material intothe holder, the strings 3 must be pulled out of the upper slots 8.

In the holder shown in FIG. 10 the movable application points of thestring 3 on the back 6 of the tray are not formed by slots but byguiding rods 7 and 8 which are secured to the inner side of the back bymeans of small pads 21, 22 and 23. The rods extend at an oblique angleto the direction of piling. The ends of the string 3 are provided witheyelets 24 which slide on the rods. The string is drawn taut over thepile by looping it over a hook 25 secured to the plate 4.

Due to the fact that the contents of the holder according to theinvention are fixed by the walls of the tray and by the strings, theholder can be filed in any desired position. It will only be necessaryto insure that the nipples remain free from the surfaces on which theholders are stored. This can be achieved by providing sliding edges likeand 16 in FIG 1 or double walls as was illustrated in FIG. 2. Ifdesired, the Walls of the tray may be provided with finger holes tofacilitate the pulling of one holder out of a row of holders and withwindows or rabbets for labels.

The holder according to the invention exhibits, a.o., the followingadvantages:

(a) The sheets filed in the holder are always retained flat under agentle pressure, and are accessible after a simple manipulation.

(b) When used on a desk the holder will occupy little space due to theabsence of folding parts.

(c) The holder can be stored on shelves with its long as well as withits short side down.

(d) Punching of the material to be filed is not required.

(e) Because of the absence of clamping or binding mechanisms the risk ofa defect is very small and the exterior dimensions of the holder exceedonly slightly the size of the sheets to be filed.

(f) The rigidness of the trays prevents the holders from leaning, evenwhen positioned individually on a shelf or desk without any lateralsupport.

(g) The holders with a single back can be accommodated into each otherso as to save space during transport and storage.

I claim:

1. A holder for storing sheet material comprising a tray for receivingsheet material, said tray having a rigid plate provided with a surfaceagainst which sheet material is to be disposed in stacked juxtaposedrelation and at least two rigid walls adjacent to each other andextending outwardly from the same surface of said plate against whichthe sheet material is to be disposed so as to be adapted to overlierespective edges of the sheet material, and elastic means having movableapplication points on at least one of said walls with said applicationpoints being movable in the direction in which the sheet material is tobe piled and said elastic means extending across said surface of saidplate against which sheet material is to be disposed so as to be drawntaut over the sheet material for pressing the sheet material againstsaid surface of said plate, said application points of said elasticmeans comprising points at which the tensile force of the elastic meansis applied to said at least one of said walls and being adjustable tothe height of the pile of sheet material disposed against said surfaceof said plate by the movement of said application points in thedirection in which the sheet material is to be piled.

2. A holder for storing sheet material as set forth in claim 1, whereinat least one of said walls is provided with slots through which saidelastic means is passed, and said movable application points of saidelastic means being defined by said slots so as to be locatedtherealong.

3. A holder for storing sheet material as set forth in claim 2, whereinsaid one wall having slots provided therein comprises inner and outerwall layers, and said slots being provided in the inner wall layerthereof.

4. A holder for storing sheet material as set forth in claim 1, whereinguiding means are secured to the inner surface of at least one of saidwalls along which said elastic means is guided, and said movableapplication points of said elastic means being defined by said guidingmeans so as to be located therealong.

5. A holder for storing sheet material as set forth in claim 1, whereinsaid application points of said elastic means are so positioned as to bemovable along a path at an oblique angle to the direction in which thesheet material is to be piled, and said elastic means when drawn tautover the sheet material is so positioned as to exert a force componentdriving said application points along said path toward the sheetmaterial.

6. A holder for storing sheet material as set forth in claim 1, whereinsaid tray has two walls, and said elastic means comprises a singleelastic element having an application point in each of said walls andbeing looped about the free corner of said plate remote from said walls.

7. A holder for storing sheet material as set forth in claim 1, whereinsaid elastic means comprises a single elastic element having twoapplication points in one wall of said tray, said plate of said trayhaving a free edge oppositely disposed from said one wall, and said freeedge of said plate being provided with a projecting part about whichsaid elastic element is looped.

8. A holder for storing sheet material as set forth in claim 7, whereinsaid elastic element is endless, said one wall being provided with slotswhich extend up to the free edge of said one wall, said elastic elementpassing 5 through said slots, and said two application points of saidelastic element being defined by said slots so as to be locatedtherealong.

9. A holder for storing sheet material as set forth in claim 1, whereinsaid tray has three Walls, and said elastic means comprises a pair ofcrossing elastic elements, each of said pair of crossing elasticelements having an application point in each of the two of said wallswhich are opposite from each other.

10. A holder for storing sheet material as set forth in claim I, furtherincluding a rigid cover plate received by said tray and being positionedbeneath said elastic means in alinement with the surface on said rigidplate against which sheet material is to be disposed so as to be placedon top of the pile of sheet material.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,714,688 5/1929Mikkelsen.

2,347,021 4/ 1944 Auerbach 20656 2,801,000 7/1957 Busch 206-56 2,976,9853/ 1961 Kraus 20662 FOREIGN PATENTS 319,800 7/1934 Italy.

1,097 1872 Great Britain.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. EARLE I. DRUMMOND, GEORGE O.RALSTON,

- Examiners.

1. A HOLDER FOR STORING SHEET MATERIAL COMPRISING A TRAY FOR RECEIVINGSHEET MATERIAL, SAID TRAY HAVING A RIGID PLATE PROVIDED WITH A SURFACEAGAINST WHICH SHEET MATERIAL IS TO BE DISPOSED IN STACKED JUXTAPOSEDRELATION AND AT LEAST TWO RIGID WALLS ADJACENT TO EACH OTHER ANDEXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE SAME SURFACE OF SAID PLATE AGAINST WHICHTHE SHEET MATERIAL IS TO BE DISPOSED SO AS TO BE ADAPTED TO OVERLIERESPECTIVE EDGES OF THE SHEET MATERIAL, AND ELASTIC MEANS HAVING MOVABLEAPPLICATION POINTS ON AT LEAST OME OF SAID WALLS WITH SAID APPOLICATIONPOINTS BEING MOVABLE IN THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THE SHEET MATERIAL IS TOBE PILED AND SAID ELASTIC MEANS EXTENDING ACROSS SAID SURFACE OF SAIDPLATE AGAINST WHICH SHEET MATERIAL IS TO BE DISPOSED SO AS TO BE DRAWNTAUT OVER THE SHEET MATERIAL FOR PRESSING THE SHEET MATERIAL AGAINSTSAID SURFACE OF SAID PLATE, SAID APPLICATION POINTS OF SAID ELASTICMEANS COMPRISING POINTS AT WHICH THE TENSILE FORCE OF THE ELASTIC MEANSIS APPLIED TO SAID AT LEAST ONE OF SAID WALLS AND BEING ADJUSTABLE TOTHE HEIGHT OF THE PILE OF SHEET MATERIAL DISPOSED AGAINST SAID SURFACEOF SAID PLATE BY THE MOVEMENT OF SAID APPLICATION POINTS IN THEDIRECTION IN WHICH THE SHEET MATERIAL TO BE PILED.